Light Stabilizers for Coatings

Almost twenty years after the first edition of this book, the editor was asked by colleagues in the coating industry whether it would be possible to publish an up-dated second edition. When the editor asked us whether we would be interested in working on such a second edition, we agreed with great pleasure. Although some time has passed since the first edition, the problems facing the industry are still the same: paint flaking off an object remains a serious concern. The object has lost its protection and is exposed to the elements. It has lost the colour that made it attractive. It has become insignificant and unnoticed. The purpose of this book is to explain the underlying principles of paint degradation, demonstrate, with the help of numerous examples, how paint films can be protected and serve as a practical guide for formulators when selecting light stabilizers for their paint formulation. For a more precise analysis of the mechanism of paint degradation and its prevention, the reader is referred to the extensive bibliography at the end of the book, which covers the subject comprehensively. Hermann Hesse wrote "Blue, yellow, white, red and green – what wonderful colours" [1]. When properly stabilized, colourful finishes ARE wonderful. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our colleagues from the former Ciba Specialty Inc. and BASF Switzerland AG. Without their collaboration and support it would have never been possible to carry out the research, over a period of more than two decades, on which this book is based. We would also to thank Dr. Godwin Berner and Hans-Jürgen Berger who pioneered, built-up and led this successful business for so many years. Special thanks goes to Allan Cunningham for his great support editing our English text. Basle, Switzerland June 2016 Andreas Valet and Adalbert Braig